Agency Report –
Berlin – Bayern Munich aim to end a winless run against Bayer Leverkusen when they visit the defending champions on Saturday with a chance to 11 points clear of them at the top of the Bundesliga.
The top of the table clash is also an anticipated duel between Germany’s most gifted young players in the form of Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz and Bayern’s Jamal Musiala.
Bayern enter the match eight points ahead of Leverkusen who ended their run of 11 straight league titles with a historic unbeaten 2023-24 campaign.
Not about putting Leverkusen in their place
Bayern board member for sport Max Eberl told reporters on Friday that they are only not thinking about Leverkusen who they have not beaten in five matches.
“If you talk about being in a dominant position, then so far we’ve kept the defending champions behind us,” he said.
“It’s not about one or two games but the whole season. We want to win every game. It’s not about putting (coach) Xabi Alonso or Leverkusen in their place but about winning every game.
“Leverkusen have done an outstanding job in the last 18 months, are among Europe’s top teams. They’ve also got a good recent record against us. It’s a super game where we want to test ourselves.”
Winless run
Bayern’s winless run against Leverkusen include a 3-0 league defeat 12 months ago, and a 1-0 loss at home in the German Cup after a Manuel Neuer red card this term, which also saw a 1-1 draw in the reverse league fixture in Munich.
“Both games were very tight (this season). The quality in both teams is very high. But both games this season were also different. In one we got an early red card, in the other we dominated. Now we’re playing away. You don’t know how the game will go, but it’ll definitely be a game with high quality,” coach Vincent Kompany said.
Bayern in command
Bayern are coming off seven straight league wins while Leverkusen have dropped points in draws at RB Leipzig and Wolfsburg after the winter break.
“We’re in a spell where we don’t need to think too much about the opposition. We know they can defend deep but also press high. We need to be prepared for both,” Kompany said.
“We want to have the ball and score goals, no matter what phase of the game.”
Wirtz v Musiala
Looking at Wirtz and Musiala, Kompany said that “German football can be really pleased that both play for Germany.
“You don’t need to look too much for differences or who’s better. They’re both super players. We know what makes them special. It’s special to have two players like them in the same generation, the same league and the same national team. I think they can both develop even further.”
Musiala is expected to renew his contract until 2026 at Bayern and there has been speculation that Bayern could be a future option for Wirtz whose Leverkusen deal is until 2027.
Eberl has played down such speculation during the week earlier in the week. Asked on Friday whether they could play together in principle, he referred to the national team where they have long established themselves as key players.
“We saw them in action at the Euros. They’re extraordinary players and have a good understanding together,” Eberl said.
“With outstanding footballers, it’s simply the case that they get on because they simply have this intelligence, this feeling and this understanding – each with his own strengths.”
